Month: September 2018

Everyone loves an easy dinner

Following my previous post that featured one of my easy chicken dinners, I have received so many direct messages and emails from so many of you asking for more recipes like that. What I have also come to appreciate is the number of family members like spouses, in-laws, siblings, friends who have been making my dishes and bringing them a pregnant woman (or for their own families!)

These recipes are not just for pregnant women– anyone can enjoy them, and I encourage you to try them for yourself!

The Great Thing About Chicken

I can understand why these simple recipes are so popular: No one wants to be stuck cooking, especially after a day at work or when you’re too tired. I find that chicken is the most versatile meat for quick meals. Its cooks quickly and stores well in the refrigerator. Plus, once cooked, it reheats well and often can be turned into a totally different meal just by adding a different side dish.

Here’s another quick and easy chicken dish with ingredients you most likely already have at home. The combination of the maple and mustard creates a creamy sauce that’s not heavy or laden with fat and calories. The entire meal takes only minutes to prep and then cooks quickly in the oven. It’s a perfect make-ahead meal and can also be doubled to serve a large family or as a main dish for a dinner party. Next time you’re in a rush, definitely give this one a try.

To all of the women who have reached out to me through emails or direct messages to ask me questions: Thank you! I love hearing your thoughts and questions. One of the most common questions I get is about high blood pressure and what the differences are between high blood pressure, hypertension, and preeclampsia. So, here is a post on the differences between each of the maternal conditions related to blood pressure that happen during pregnancy.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure, essentially, is a measurement of how forcefully the blood is circulating through the arteries. It is impacted by several factors, but most importantly by the heart rate and the elasticity of the arterial walls. When the blood meets resistance, the heart has to work harder to force the blood to circulate. That increased workload of the heart translates into high blood pressure. Blood is supposed to flow freely throughout the body, not be under force or pressure to get to all parts of the body.

Why it matters for pregnancy

In pregnancy we keep a close eye on women’s blood pressures. Most people have no symptoms when their blood pressure is elevated. Dangerously high or sudden spikes in blood pressure may be associated with dizziness or headaches, but elevations in blood pressure are typically unnoticed.

The reason why we get so concerned about blood pressure during pregnancy is because we are always worried about the placenta. Since the placenta is how the baby gets nourished and sustained, we in obstetrics want to keep the placenta working properly. The placenta is vascular and susceptible to blood pressure changes. High blood pressure in the mother means the placenta is under pressure too and that could lead it to not function properly as a filter and source of nutrition and oxygenation for the baby.

Types of blood pressure issues

There are different kinds of high blood pressure issues for pregnant women. Among these include:

Gestational hypertension.

Women with gestational hypertension have high blood pressure that develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Treatment for gestational hypertension differs and can range from close monitoring to medication. Typically there is no organ damage and the condition usually goes away once the baby is delivered. However, some women with gestational hypertension may progress to have persistent high blood pressure or hypertension after delivery or worsen to develop preeclampsia.

Chronic hypertension.

Chronic hypertension is high blood pressure that was present before pregnancy or that occurs before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Some women are aware they have hypertension because it was diagnosed by their health care practitioner, but sometimes it is not diagnosed until pregnancy. Since there are generally no symptoms with high blood pressure, it is often hard to determine when it actually began (i.e. with pregnancy or before).

Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia.

This condition occurs in women with chronic hypertension before pregnancy who develop worsening high blood pressure during pregnancy. What makes this significant is that women begin to have protein in the urine or other blood pressure related complications during pregnancy. Protein in the urine is an indicator that the high blood pressure is causing the kidneys to not work properly.

Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia occurs when hypertension develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and is associated with signs of damage to other organ systems, including the kidneys, liver, blood or brain. Untreated preeclampsia can lead to serious — even fatal — complications for mother and baby, including development of seizures. Fortunately there are various medications available to treat preeclampsia. However, since this condition is serious, most women are monitored closely and are often admitted to the hospital for the duration of the treatment.

Just a summary

This is just a snapshot of the various blood pressure-related conditions during pregnancy. It is not exhaustive or all-inclusive. The message I want to emphasize is that blood pressure is an important parameter to monitor during pregnancy. Most women never realize they have elevations in blood pressure, so we act swiftly to create a monitoring plan and schedule additional testing as needed.

At the end of the day, sometimes two of the hardest things you can have to do are decide what to have for dinner and then prepare it. Plus, you’re hungry! So you want to get dinner made fast. Solution: A recipe with minimal prep time and even shorter cook time that tastes delicious.

Fish Safety

I wrote before that certain types of seafood are safe to eat during pregnancy. Shrimp is one of them! When harvested and stored properly, shrimp is safe to consume and actually contains protein and a few other nutrients. Opt for shrimp that is sustainably farmed and of the freshwater variety. Fresh, or frozen shrimp, is best when bought with the peel on and the heads removed. It’s convenient if the vein along the back of the shrimp is already removed as long as the peel hasn’t been cracked or opened for an extended period of time.

Many experts recommend purchasing frozen shrimp and thawing the shrimp on your own immediately prior to use. Shrimp are deep frozen when they’re caught at sea and delivered to the retailer in that state. The retailer then thaws the shrimp and puts it on display, typically on ice. Since there is no way to tell how long the shrimp have been defrosted, it’s safer to buy the shrimp frozen in a bag and thaw out on your own.

Things to Avoid

There are things to avoid. Shrimp are highly perishable and can spoil quickly, so do not eat shrimp if they have a foul odor or an ammonia-like smell. Your shrimp should be firm and not limp, slimy, or breaking apart which would also indicate decay or spoilage.

With fresh shrimp, this dish gives a wonderful caramelized sauce that pairs wonderfully with any type of crispy green vegetable like green beans, broccoli, or even Brussels sprouts. Try this when you’re looking for a quick shrimp fix!

Honey Garlic Shrimp

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup honey (as always, I highly recommend using a good quality honey like the kind I use from the Tanis Apiary in Pompton Plains, New Jersey)

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

1 pound medium shrimp, uncooked, shelled and deveined

1 ½ cup green beans, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts

Brown rice or soba noodles to serve

Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, honey and soy sauce. Set aside.

In a second medium bowl, place the shrimp. Pour 1/3 of the sauce of the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

After the shrimp has been marinated, heat a non-stick medium (about 10 inches) skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the sauce into the skillet and heat until steaming or slightly sizzling.

Toss in the green vegetable of choice and cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes depending on the vegetable used. Remove and set aside.

Take shrimp out of the marinade sauce and in 2 batches (5 to 10 shrimp per batch). Cook 1 to 2 mins per side until the shrimp are browned and begin to curl. Do not overcook! Take the shrimp out onto a plate and set aside.

When the shrimp are all cooked, return the vegetables to the skillet and heat through. Add the shrimp back into the skillet. Add any remaining sauce. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to coat the shrimp and the vegetables in the caramelized sauce.

Serve over brown rice or soba noodles. Drizzle any remaining sauce from the skillet over the shrimp and vegetables.